If you're wondering if I want you to I want you
by Dark K. Sly
Summary: Things change when you are growing up - and, surprisingly for Stiles, these changes can actually be good. Who knew change could be a good thing?
1. Awkward boys are awkward

**So, before posting the final part of Come Out and Play, I decided to begin a new story – fluff. All the fluff. All the fluff, all the time.**

**Maybe a little angst, but very, very little, and not long at all.**

**Happiness. Sunshine and flowers and happy people.**

**Yeah.**

**Also, despite what it may seem in this chapter, there won't be Scott/Allison hate in here.**

**There won't be hate in here. At all.**

**Enjoy!**

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_(If you're wondering if I want you to) I want you to_

_Awkward boys are awkward_

"Where's Scott?" Isaac asks, as he drops on the bench beside Stiles, and the other boy narrows his eyes at him.

"What? Lost your best friend, already? He's not in my pocket, bro."

"Woah, what's with the hostility, Stiles? I just asked a question."

"Well, I don't know where Scott is, Isaac. Since the two of you began your really beautiful wolf-bromance, I don't know if you've noticed, but I haven't exactly hung out with him. Because he is, you know, with you. All the time."

Stiles had tried going to the non-bitter road, but he couldn't actually manage it. He was damn well resentful, yes, because he had saved Scott's furry ass so many times, and then Isaac comes along, with his wolfishness, and that – _that _ – and not Allison, is what makes Scott abandon him.

Which is completely ridiculous, because at their age, guys lose friends to romantic interests, not to… someone who's the same species as they are.

"I haven't seen him all weekend, though." Isaac's response is a bit defensive, and Stiles looks at him for a second, before focusing again on the field, where the coach is preparing their exercises, before the rest of the players arrive.

Why are they even _having_ this practice, seeing as is their last week of classes, Stiles doesn't even try to understand, because Finstock is just _that_ much crazy.

It's a month after the whole craziness with Gerard, and ever since that night, Scott's become more and more distant from Stiles. At first he'd call and make excuses, and then he started hanging out with Isaac, and Stiles was with them, but he really wasn't _a part_ of it – he felt left out. And then he stopped hanging around them, and Scott didn't even seem to have noticed he was gone.

So, ok, he'll deal, he'll find another best friend, maybe he'll even find a _girlfriend_, or even a _boyfriend_, and leave them all behind too.

But he won't try and play message boy for the guy who stole his best friend.

He'll also not feel pity for that guy, as he stares at his phone for a few seconds, and then puts it back in his pocket, looking down, as if he's disappointed.

"Look, he's probably trying to get Allison to do something with him. You know how he gets" he ends up saying, and Isaac looks at him, and it's different – it's not the smirky smile, or the threatening face, or the I'm-so-bad look, it's a bit insecure and broken, and that tugs at Stiles' butter heart.

Damn him!

"I actually don't" Isaac answers, "I mean, I was a bit of a loner… you know, before. And then Erica and Boyd just came with the package, but now they've gone Omega, and Derek doesn't want me hanging out with them, and they don't want me hanging out with them either, and Jackson is such a jerk, even if he's pack now. And Scott was the only one around. I really didn't mean to steal your best friend" he concludes, looking earnest and confused.

He probably didn't even _realize_ Scott was ditching Stiles for him.

"It's fine. Forget it" he dismisses, "And he's probably doing something Allison-related, that's the only kind of thing he ever tries to do by himself, anyway."

Isaac smiles at that and Stiles can't help but smirk right back.

Coach Finstock calls them right then, and they go into the field. There's a long speech about winning, and how winners aren't whiners, and how the field should be used during the summer by those who wanted to make first line the next year, and then he has them running and jumping around, and then, finally, they can leave.

There has never been a weirder coach than theirs in the history of coaches, ever.

He doesn't even realize he's said that out loud until Isaac laughs beside him, and Jackson agrees, passing by them on his way to the showers.

"So, Scott didn't even show up for training" Stiles says casually, and Isaac shrugs, looking down, "Bet you ten bucks he's convinced Allison to get back together with him."

"I don't really know how he _can_" Isaac says, finally showing some exasperation, "I mean, she's tried to kill us all" he whispers the last part, coming nearer Stiles, who shakes his head.

"Love, man. And Scott is completely in love with her. What can we do?"

Isaac doesn't say anything, grabbing his towel and heading for one of the empty stalls, Stiles following him a few seconds later – and then it hits him that Isaac is truly and completely _alone_.

He doesn't have any family left – even Derek has freaking Peter – and he has his dad, and Scott's got his mom and Allison, and Jackson and Lydia have each other, and even Erica and Boyd in their Omega ways have each other.

Isaac doesn't have _anyone_. And with his history, he _has_ to take abandonment in a pretty harsh way, because, well, his dad was abusive.

You can't just shove that aside, and keep on moving on forever, Stiles knows that. And Scott, in all his wisdom, has decided to abandon Isaac – okay, it was probably for Allison, who is apparently the Bella Swan to his Edward Cullen, but come on, how can his best friend (maybe, possibly _ex _-best friend?) be so dense as not to see that could wreck Isaac in a way that would never, ever, wreck him?

Damn it, Scott.

They finish showering, and Stiles sees Isaac getting dressed, his shoulders tense, and his expression guarded – either he's pissed off or he's so alone he's decided that being enraged is better.

And of course Stiles can't let that go, because apparently, he's a damn patron for weird people.

"Hey, Isaac," he calls, and the boy looks at him, annoyed, "Want to come over to my place? We could study for finals, maybe play something?"

"I'm not a charity case, Stilinski" he bites out, his voice muffled by the shirt he's pulling over his head.

"I didn't think you were, I just thought we could go on bonding over how crappy a friend Scott is."

They hear Jackson snorting in a stall nearby, and Isaac finally cracks a smile.

"Okay, then."

And that's how they leave school, together.

Half way through his house, Stiles, who can't keep quiet, looks at Isaac by the corner of his eye – he's not exactly _uncomfortable_, but he holds himself on guard all the time.

It's weird, even with their back history.

"So…" he begins, stretching the word as far as it can go, "How come Derek isn't trying to get Scott to join him anymore? I thought there was something going on there, that he'd need more Betas, what with losing Boyd and Erica."

Isaac looks at him for a few seconds, and then shrugs.

"Derek doesn't really _tell_ us anything."

Stiles smirks, risking a glance at Isaac.

"But you have your own ideas, because you aren't stupid."

Isaac grins at that, pleased, and Stiles has to hold in a smile.

"Well, I think Derek kind of got really tired of his shit," they both laugh at that, and Isaac continuous, "Actually, Allison's shit. The girl went full on psychopath. She stabbed me. Shot Boyd and Erica full of arrows, and, well, her grandfather tortured you for information, and she knew it. And then Scott is _still_ after her. What the hell, man?"

Stiles keeps quiet for a bit, because, well, he hadn't really thought about any of it much. Overthinking was something he did a lot, but he didn't think about Derek's side of things, only theirs. And Scott had gone back to being almost normal after the whole thing – until he had ditched him for Isaac that is.

And now he was ditching Isaac for Allison.

Actually, Scott was pretty much a douchebag when it came to keeping friendships.

"Well, Scott has kind of tunnel vision when it comes to Allison. I think…" he pauses, because he has always thought this, but had never shared it with anyone – it felt like betraying Scott, but, well, Isaac was Scott's friend too, right? "I think he feels as if he doesn't deserve her. As if she's so far out of his league he has to compensate somehow, even if his own life suffers for it. And with the whole wolf thing, it just gets worse, he feels as if he has to compensate for being such a dork and also for going furry in the moon light."

Isaac stares at him as they pull to his drive way and get out of the car – he looks confused.

"You know, the way you behave, I actually would never think you could work all that out by yourself."

Stiles pretends to be offended, putting a hand over his heart.

"Never, _ever_, underestimate a Stiles. I'm _great_ at reading emotions from other people."

"Yeah, I get that, but you don't look the part."

Stiles doesn't answer, he just grins at Isaac and opens the door to his house.

And then both their phones beep at the same time.

_Allison said yesss! Goin out 2nit!_

"Well, told you so" he tells Isaac, but the boy just shakes his head.

And that's when Stiles decides to make it into his mission for the rest of the afternoon to make Isaac not think about Scott.

He has a feeling Isaac isn't as forgiving as he is.

Maybe he could learn a lesson or two from him.

**X**

When Isaac leaves it's already getting dark out – Stiles offers to take him home, but Isaac declines, saying he's not in any danger.

Plus, Derek will try to fish Stiles for information if he gets too close to the house or growl threateningly at him, and Isaac is kind of getting tired of that song and dance, so it's better if he goes home alone.

The Sheriff gets home just as Isaac is leaving, and he looks a bit confused by it, but relieved at the same time. The teen gives him half a smile, and a '_good night, sir'_ before leaving, and the man stares at his son, curiously.

"Not that it's any of my business, but weren't you grumbling about Isaac a lot these days? Saying he stole your best friend?"

Stiles stares at his dad for a bit – things are _weird_ between them, mostly because Stiles is back to normal, or as normal as he can get, but the Sheriff hasn't forgotten what happened a few weeks ago, and the way Stiles was behaving before that – but he just shrugs and answers anyway.

"Well, Scott ditched him to try and get back together with Allison. I took him in. I'm stealing Isaac from Scott, and he won't even notice, but that'll be my revenge!" he says, trying to make a believable villain voice, noticing as he's saying the words that it's the truth.

Scott won't even realize Isaac won't be there if _Allison _is there.

The Sheriff crosses his arms in front of his chest, looking at Stiles suspiciously, and the boy sighs – nothing good _ever_ comes from that look.

"What is the deal with Allison, anyway? You seemed to like her, but now every time you speak of her you're resentful, and this is not about her stealing Scott away, it's something else."

The good thing about Scott being a) best buddies with Isaac and b) obsessed with Allison is that Stiles really has stayed out of trouble these past few weeks.

He's fine. Things are fine.

Maybe, _maybe_, if he can get his dad clued about things _slowly_, he'll find everything out, and Stiles won't even have to deal with this huge secret next time things go to shit – and they _will_ go to shit. Everyone knows that.

It's like their karma or something.

"Well," he starts, dragging out the word and going to the living room, his dad following, and sitting down on an armchair opposite the couch Stiles is in, "Remember when Allison's mom killed herself?" The Sheriff nods and Stiles looks down before continuing, "Turns out the thing is way more complicated than any of us really understands. You know Kate Argent had something to do with the fire at the Hale House, and Derek blamed her, and when she died, Allison's granddad blamed Derek. It seems like Allison did the same with her mom's death. She was apparently so down because of Kate's death and stuff, and Allison and her grandfather blamed it on Derek."

John nods again, looking at Stiles intently.

"That still doesn't cover it."

"I know. That's just, like, the beginning. You know how Boyd and Erica and Isaac started hanging out with Derek, right?" His dad nods again, and Stiles continues, "Thing is, Allison is pretty handy with a bow. And a crossbow. Even a knife. She went after Derek, people got hurt. Derek didn't press charges because he actually understood her grief, but she did a number on Erica and Boyd, they ended up leaving Derek's group, and they really kind of… needed it. They don't have to easiest of lives, you know? They could use a guy like Derek to depend on, and she screwed that up for them" he stops talking and tries to see what his father is thinking, but the man's got his poker face on, "So I kind of think, and Isaac agrees, that Scott is a bit crazy for abandoning everyone just for a girl who went psycho killer on his friends."

His dad is still quiet when he finishes, and Stiles starts wondering if he's made a mistake – if now his dad will want to bring out the big guns, and talk to Derek and Scott and Allison, and _that_'ll be a mess Stiles can't deal with.

"And all of that happened the same night you got hurt. After the game."

Stiles startles, and flails a bit, waving his hands in front of him.

"I didn't get beat up by a chick!" he protests, and John simply stares, "I really didn't! It wasn't Allison. Although… it was in the same context, yeah. And she knew I was getting beat up."

"So you lied to me."

The words are a bit of a punch to his gut, because, yeah, he had lied _a lot_. To protect him. To protect himself. His friends.

But things change when time passes, and you can _see_ things outside the panic of the moment, away from the fear of being in that basement, and the despair of seeing two teens tied up with wire.

"I did, yeah. I wouldn't have now, though."

"Because of the change in Allison?"

Stiles shrugs – he doesn't know if it's the change in Allison, or the growing feeling he has the past month that he isn't as ready to die for Scott and his epic romance as he was before.

A month ago he was crazy in love with Lydia, and seeing her get back together with newly awaken Jackson, and Isaac had been stabbed, and Scott proved he had a brain.

Now, he wasn't so sure things were that clear anymore, because Scott had changed, and it had nothing to do with his furry problem, and he didn't seem to need Stiles as much – they weren't in any danger.

Scott was actually managing to stay out of trouble by not mixing with Derek and Peter, and therefore, Stiles was pretty much safe.

And also forgotten in the light of werefriend Isaac and Allison.

Stiles could actually realize that, by staying away, Scott had given him a chance to think things through, to see things he didn't see before, and, well, as much as he loved Scott, and he did, a lot, his life was easier when he wasn't trying to save his friend twenty-four-seven.

"Not _really_ just that, but that's pretty much the short version of it, yeah" he replies, finally, and John stares at him for a while, a small smile coming slowly, and Stiles wants to do a little dance – he hasn't seen that smile in _months_.

"Who would have though Scott would be such a bad influence, huh?"

That startles a laugh out of Stiles, and he grins at his dad, getting up and hugging him for all that he's worth.

"I'm really, really sorry" he whispers, and John runs his hands through his hair.

"Just… don't shut me out like that again, son. This team work thing only works if it goes both ways."

Stiles nods against his dad and holds him a little longer.

They let go, and John goes to take a shower while Stiles tries to put together some dinner.

Maybe things will be fine now.

**X**

Things change that week, and Stiles can't say he doesn't notice it happening, because he does.

Scott and Allison are back together – she's still a wreck, and he's doing his best by her. Stiles can actually admire his devotion if he couldn't see the way Erica, Boyd and Isaac kind of try to shrink away every time she enters a room. That causes Isaac to definitely stay away from Scott, because he and Allison are joined by the hip – her dad finally relented on them being together, because they've lost so much, and he's clearly afraid of losing his daughter too – and so Stiles finds himself in a little dilemma that's solved very quickly.

He can either try and hang out with Allison and Scott, who will pay _no_ attention to him whatsoever, or he can go and try to interact with Isaac and Jackson and Lydia.

He does the second, because he is man enough to admit that Allison kind of gives him the heeby-jeebies.

"Hey, can I sit here?" he asks casually, and Lydia looks at him and looks down – she has a heart after all, and feels kind of bad for going to him when they thought Jackson was dead, when she _knew_ he had a thing for her. Jackson stares, and Danny stares, but Isaac smiles a bit and says "Sure", making room for him at the table.

And that's how the week goes by.

He interacts little with Scott, and Isaac seems to be taking up more and more of his time. They can make fun of Jackson, and even Lydia joins in a few times. Danny seems to not find him so annoying anymore, and he eats lunch with the new bunch of misfits, who used to be the most popular kids in school, and he kind of fits right in.

Or Isaac makes him fit right in, always there when he needs him.

It's strange being the one who _depends_ on someone. He's usually the one who has to think things through so they won't blow up all the time.

It's a good reprieve, but he's still waiting for the storm to come.

Still, it's good.

The last day of classes he's a bit down, because, well, he won't have Scott this summer, what the hell will he do with his time?

So, when Isaac shows up by his side in the parking lot, smiling a bit and suggesting they practice lacrosse on the field during the summer, he smiles wide.

"I'd like that."

Isaac smiles back, and jumps in the jeep, uninvited.

They play video games until it's dark out, and Stiles smiles, feeling really happy in a very, very long time.

It's a bit foreign, but not at all unwelcome.

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**Next chapter we'll have a bit of Isaac's side of things.**

**Let me know what you think!**

**REVIEW!**


	2. Oblivious Boys are Oblivious

**I'm sorry it took me so long to update again, but I think I needed a break after Come Out and Play.**

**Here's the second chapter, the next one will come much faster.**

**Hope you like it!**

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_(If you're wondering if I want you to) I want you to_

_Oblivious Boys are Oblivious_

Truth be told, Isaac isn't even sure _when_ exactly he started to pay so much attention to Stiles, or how he can feel so comfortable around him, but the thing is he does.

Having a friend in Scott had been a new experience: he had never had a friend like that before. It was hard for him before the change, before his father's death, he never allowed anyone to get close to him; and after that, with Boyd and Erica, it wasn't really _friendship_, it was more… well, it was just what it was: them being together because Derek said so.

He wasn't himself when he was with them either; he just tried to be as badass as the other two, even if that wasn't who he was.

And then along came Scott, who worried about everyone, and tried to save the day, and was really, really nice to him. Isaac realized he had a friend about two days before he lost Scott to Allison, and when he noticed that, he also realized Stiles had been kind of pushed aside for him.

It wasn't nice, and he felt guilty. He could also sense Stiles felt bad for him, and he didn't want anyone's pity – he hadn't accepted that when his own father locked him in a refrigerator for hours at a time, he wouldn't take it for having lost a friend.

But Stiles was alone too, and he wanted company too, and maybe, just maybe, they could make their friendship work.

The last day of classes came, and Stiles was looking so down Isaac decided to cheer him up with his company – and, surprisingly, it worked.

Maybe that's when it had started, this… _liking_ of Stiles thing.

This liking Stiles a _lot _thing, like a burning, like a want to just be near him all the freaking time.

It's disconcerting at first, and he honestly tries to just write it up as new friendship feelings. That's all there is to it, nothing else.

Besides, Stiles has this bad habit of talking about Lydia all the time. It makes Isaac's heart kind of shake a bit, it's weird. He's torn between wanting to make Lydia _see_ what a jerk Jackson is, and how amazing Stiles is, and, trust him, he knows it, being in a pack with Jackson is pretty much torture 99% of the time, and at the same time he wants to tear Lydia to small pieces, because Stiles likes her so much.

But he's decided not to think too deeply about either, and therefore, he manages to get Stiles to agree to train Lacrosse with him for the summer, at the school field.

Just because they can, and because Stiles has talent, he just needs to focus a bit.

And if the first time he tries to check Stiles, and they tumble to the ground, Stiles under him, he gets _the_ biggest hard on he's ever gotten he tries to cover it up.

Things get a bit normal that summer, and it's actually funny that this is the most normal summer Isaac's ever had, seeing as he is now a werewolf, he's living with two other werewolves in a house that is falling apart, and he is starting to get out of the denial boat, and seeing he has a crush on his only friend.

Derek and Peter never talk to him about the whole Alpha Pack thing. He knows there's something going on, and the other two kind of argue and growl a lot, and Peter bitches, and Derek broods, but nothing is being done, and Isaac decides he doesn't want to be around for none of it.

So he leaves the house early, and comes back late – when he does come back, that is, and spends his time either wandering around town, or with Stiles.

Because the thing is, Stiles is also _completely_ alone.

The first time Isaac is bored (and stressed out over the arguing and growling and bitching) to try and see if it'd be okay for him to hang out at Stiles' that night he's surprised to see Stiles is alone. Completely alone, all by himself, on a Tuesday night, at almost eleven.

The other teen grins and tells him he's welcome to stay, and they can do whatever, because none of them works and they can sleep in the next morning.

"What about your dad?" he asks, a bit worried, because come on, he doesn't want to get into trouble with the _Sheriff_, but Stiles simply shrugs.

"He's got some crazy hours, man."

And that's it, nothing else.

The more Isaac spends time with Stiles, the more he realizes Stiles is also lonely.

Sure, his dad is pretty awesome, and he's _there_ when Stiles needs him, really needs him, and he loves his son with everything he's got – that much is clear.

But it's also clear he's never around.

It makes Isaac realize how much it must have sucked for Stiles when Allison and Scott first got together – and also how come Stiles was always with the wolves when he wasn't one himself; it's not like there'd be anyone at home to check on him.

It kind of breaks Isaac's heart, thinking of a growing Stiles, a boyish Stiles, more boyish than he is now, all alone in that house, without his dad, and he's glad Stiles had Scott. Even if it led to Stiles being all alone again, but hey, he's got Isaac now, right?

They develop a sort of routine that summer, and it's all good in the beginning. Isaac tries not to be at the house with Derek, mostly because Jackson keeps showing up, and he's got _no_ impulse control whatsoever, and it makes Isaac _itch_ to slap him and he can't, because Derek's the Alpha, not him. So he leaves early, and comes back late, and Peter keeps looking at him as if he wants to say something but doesn't.

It's all very weird, but he's rolling, because he's a werewolf, so weird is pretty much the only thing on the menu.

While he's out those first few days, he tries to find some work, and finds it in the library, in the mornings. He helps there five times a week, from eight to twelve, because no one really wants to work at the Library in the mornings during the summer. This way he is out of the house and also making some money.

He wanders a bit after that, and usually has lunch with Stiles, who is just waking up on most days, because it's summer and he likes to stay up all night long when he can.

In the afternoon they head out to the school field to practice – in the final game Stiles was just _amazing_, and if he can keep that up for one training session he may even be first line next year – so they train hard, trying to correct Stiles' technique, and Isaac doesn't use his wolfy-powers, as Stiles calls them, to cheat.

This – this him-not-using-his-powers – means something to Stiles; it means a _lot_, but Isaac is not sure why, so he lets it go.

The important thing is that it does mean something, and it's something good, so there's no need to try and analyze it too much.

And this is how two whole weeks of the summer goes by, and it's perfect.

And because it was perfect, of course it had to end, because this is their life now, so nothing good ever lasts.

**X**

"I really don't mean to tell you how to run _your pack_, dear Alpha, but have you noticed that your little Beta is never home?"

Derek closes his eyes and counts to ten – because that's what he has to do pretty much every time Peter opens his mouth these days.

And the really _annoying_ part is that he _is always right_.

What he wouldn't give not to have this man annoying him all the time, but alas, it wasn't meant to be.

"What do you mean?" he asks, frowning, even as he realizes that, yes, Isaac is never seen in the house, hasn't actually, since the beginning of the summer. He's got a job in town, though, so Derek is not worried.

"Really, Derek?" Peter asks, rolling his eyes and there is Derek counting to ten again, "Isaac is _never_ here. Yes, he has a job _in the morning_. And if it's escaped your notice, there's another make-believe Alpha in town, and Isaac and him were pretty close last time we heard of it. A lonely, _teen_ Beta; a nice, cuddly, _teen_ Alpha. You do the Math" he says and stares, leaving Derek to brood on it on his own.

Okay, maybe he's handling this just as awfully as he has been handling all the rest of this Alpha deal. He can't afford to lose another Beta, not with Jackson as volatile as he is, and Peter as untrustworthy as he'll always be. Isaac is actually the one who didn't constantly give him a headache, and that's why he was forgotten.

Not he's got to find a way to know what Isaac has been doing, and God help him if this is Scott again, because he can't take that boy anymore. Not even having him in his pack would make Derek not hate him again.

Ok, so he has to work out what to do about Isaac, and not screw this up. He is actually_ trying_, and that has him thinking, and he can just _feel_ the smug look on Peter's face, until he gets tired of it and growls "What?" at the man.

"Well, have your teenage Beta take care of your teenage Beta. Make Jackson look for Isaac and find out what he's doing. Maybe he isn't even near Scott, but it wouldn't hurt to know, and having Jackson seek him out won't look bad on you."

Derek doesn't thank Peter even though he knows he should – it's hard dealing with the man and his personality.

Peter has always been like that. Bitchy and sassy, and sarcastic and narcissistic, but he's always been helpful – he just doesn't like to come _across_ as helpful. Back before the fire Derek used to laugh at the faces his mom and dad pulled when Peter was around, and Laura was particularly fond of him.

It kills Derek that he killed her, even though consciously he knows Peter was _beyond_ reason when he first woke up, and for a few months after that. He's done more damage to their family than any Argent has, and yet, Derek can't send him away.

He can't forgive him either.

It's all very confusing, and he has _no idea_ how to deal with that, so he keeps going. And in moments like this, when Peter actually helps, Derek can almost forget he's the one who killed his Alpha.

Not completely, though. Never, ever completely.

He doesn't say he'll do it, but the very next day, when Jackson comes around for training, he tells him to go and seek out Isaac, and see what the hell is going on with him, why he's never at the house, and, most importantly, to check that he's not with Scott.

Jackson is not happy about it, but he does it.

Turns out he's probably the one Beta who can actually _follow orders_.

**X**

Stiles narrows his eyes and stares at Isaac – he can do this. He can totally do it.

"Come on, Stiles, I promised I won't use any powers, you can trust me. Just come at me, bro."

Stiles laughs out loud at that, and sees Isaac smiling too – wide open and free, and he feels _happy_ that Isaac is smiling like that when he's around.

Isaac is so cute sometimes.

But he's not thinking that, because, come on, it's his friend, pretty much only friend, as Scott is always busy with Deaton and Allison and whatever else he's got on his plate nowadays, and Isaac, on the other hand, is _always_ there for him.

It's strange, because even when they were the best of friend, Stiles could never count on Scott like that.

He is so afraid of losing this that he tries to squash down all and every urge to think about Isaac in any way that isn't _friendly_, and friendly alone.

So, there will be no crushing on his only friend, period.

He runs towards the other teen and puts all of his strength into the shove, their bodies clashing together, making Isaac actually _grunt_ as he falls down. Stiles turns around and looks at the teen on the ground, and sees Isaac is smiling up at him. He looks as if he'll say something, but then someone else beats him to it.

"You know, Stilinski, if you played like that all the time, you wouldn't be an official bench warmer."

Both teens look up and see Jackson on the stands, a small smirk on his face. Stiles sighs and offers Isaac a hand, which Isaac takes, while glaring at Jackson.

"Of course, even if you were first line, you'd still be a loser, so I don't see why you're trying so hard" Jackson continues, because it's apparently impossible for him not to be a jerk.

"What do you want, Jackson?" Stiles asks, even if Jackson is not looking at him but at Isaac.

"I came to see where Isaac's been all day long every day. If I'd known he was hanging out with you, I wouldn't have come near this field. After all, I don't want to catch loserdom."

"You really shouldn't attempt to sound clever, Jackson, it's not your forte" Stiles replies, shaking his head. Isaac is glaring at the blond teen, his whole badass persona coming back again, and Stiles really doesn't like seeing that.

Isaac is warm and cute and funny. He's got one of the most beautiful smiles he's ever seen – his smile is even prettier than Lydia's, mostly because when Lydia smiles it usually means something bad for everyone else, but okay.

He's not going there.

"Whatever" Jackson replies, and turns to leave. Isaac only stops glaring when he sniffs the air, and, Stiles thinks, can't smell Jackson anymore.

"What do you think that was about?" he asks Isaac, and the other teen shrugs.

"Maybe he really wanted to know where I was? That guy is so weird."

Stiles laughs at that.

"Truer words have never been spoken."

Isaac smiles at him.

"Wanna try again?" he asks, and Stiles smiles back.

"Hell, yeah."

They train until it's getting dark, and then they go home, and Stiles cooks, while Isaac helps. When the Sheriff gets home he doesn't look surprised at seeing Isaac there and smiles at him.

Things are good.

**X**

"So, was he with Scott?" Derek bites out that night, when Jackson shows up, Lydia in tow, to tell him what his Beta – who isn't home, by the way – has been up to every day.

"No" Jackson says, looking down – Lydia's hand is in his, and she's actually eyeing Peter with something like hate. She's not afraid, though, Derek had to give her points for that, "He's been hanging out with Stilinski."

Derek looks confused – what?

Lydia actually snorts delicately, and Derek raises an eyebrow at her.

"Seriously, none of you saw this coming?" when the two younger men simply stare at her, she looks at Peter and sees he's smiling, obviously having caught what she meant. She flips her hair over her shoulder before speaking again, "Scott and Isaac hung about for a few weeks after the whole fiasco at the end of the school year, but then Scott started things with Allison again, and he abandoned both of his friends. Stiles actually took to Isaac pretty fast, and they have been hanging out ever since. You didn't need to send Jackson to spy on them, you just had to ask any functioning teenager."

Derek's face is blank again, and they can't tell what he is thinking – if he's pissed off or pleased, if Isaac hanging out with Stiles is better or worse than him hanging out with Scott.

"If I may?" says Peter, coming forward, and Derek turns to look at him, a threat in his eyes, and the man does his best to be as far away from Lydia as he can, while still being in their little circle, and not outside of it as before, "I think this is an opportunity. Stiles is smart and clever, he's just as brilliant as Lydia is, even if a bit more difficult to… show it. He's probably good for Isaac, who has no one outside of the pack, and Isaac is good for him. This will make Scott one pack member short, and our pack two pack mates stronger. We can use this to our advantage."

Derek doesn't like this, because he doesn't like the idea of manipulating teenagers – he tried that, and look where that got him with the whole Erica and Boyd situation.

"You want us to befriend them" Lydia states. And Peter inclines his head.

She shrugs and looks at Jackson.

"We'll do it" she says, and when Jackson looks as if he'll argue, she frowns at him, and he shuts up, "It won't be too hard either, don't worry."

Derek is quite sure it _will_ be hard, but he lets them go and doesn't say anything against this plan.

If it works, it works.

If it doesn't, well, at least they tried.

* * *

**Setting things in motion here, not much happening, but oh well.**

**I hope you guys enjoyed it, and will keep following!**

**Let me know what you think!**

**REVIEW!**


	3. Sassy people are sassy

**Here's the next one! Sorry it took so long! (Un)surprisingly, it takes me longer to write seven pages of fluff than fifteen of angst.**

**Who would have guessed?**

**I hope you enjoy it!**

* * *

_(If you're wondering if I want you to) I want you to_

_Sassy people are Sassy_

Lydia Martin was good at a number of things, but the thing she was actually best at was saving her own skin.

Don't take her wrong, she'd save her friends too when it came down to it, but she had learned very early on that very few people care for you before they care for themselves. If you can't count on your own _parents_ to look out for _you_ before they look out for their own needs, how can you expect anyone else in the universe to do it?

So, yes, when she agreed to try and befriend Stiles and Isaac, she knew that, at some point down the road, that would mean having Scott in their pack – and it _was_ their pack, because she wouldn't allow Jackson to be weak, and he needed a pack to be stronger – and with Scott they'd have Allison too.

Not bad for a small town pack. Maybe, if it worked out for Isaac and Stiles, and Scott and Allison, they could try and regain Boyd and Erica for it too.

It'd be perfect.

That's why she wasn't feeling the least bit guilty about using Stiles' crush on her to make him come to their side of the force.

What she _didn't_ expect, though, was how _obviously_ Stiles was smitten with Isaac – and vice-versa.

Well, slight change of plans then.

She started small. Bumping into the boys over town, finding them in game stores, waving at Isaac at the library, smiling at Stiles on the grocery store.

Of course, Stiles was kind of too smart for his own good, and cornered her on the fourth day of her plan, in front of the drugstore she had followed him to.

"What is it, Lydia?" he asks, looking a bit annoyed and exasperated, leaning on his old jeep. The girl looks at him carefully, and decides that, honestly? The truth is the better way to get Stiles to agree to anything.

"Look, this whole separated pack thing? It's rubbish, okay? You can't keep thinking you're on Scott's pack, because we both know that's not happening, because it'll take a few more weeks of Allison for Scott to notice he's losing his pack, and by then, you and Isaac will be on your own, and you don't want Isaac to become an Omega, do you?"

Stiles' face is actually comical when he takes it all in, and Lydia can tell this is not what he was expecting.

"So, what? You want us to acknowledge Jackson as our Alpha?" he asks, incredulously, and she huffs in answer, tossing her hair back.

"No, you moron. I want you to come to our pack. Let's be honest, Stiles, Jackson is not ready for leadership, and he can't be on his own. That'd be a weakness and we don't do well with weakness, okay? Isaac wouldn't do well either. And we all know that eventually Scott will realize what he's losing, and he'll apologize to you, and you'll forgive him, because that's what you do, and then you can convince him to join us too. What do you think will happen if Scott continuous on his own? Do you really think he can hold his own on a fight against _Derek_ of all people? He'll be his doormat in .3 seconds."

Stiles tilts his head to the side, as if considering, and finally nodding, seeing the truth in her words.

"What is it, then? What do you want us to do, pledge ourselves to Derek, and call him _Oh Alpha, my Alpha_?"

"No, you imbecile, just… make sure Isaac shows up for training. This is as much for him as it is for the pack. Do you think he should be allowed not to train? When we _know_ the way things keep turning out here?"

"What do you mean, make sure he goes? I'm not his keeper, he's my friend" he argues, confusion marring his face, and Lydia gives him a condescending smile.

"Yes, but you have _pull_ with him, don't you?" she smiles maliciously and, to her utter astonishment, this seems to confuse Stiles even more.

"What… are you talking about?"

And then Lydia connects the dots, and feels like facepalming – she doesn't do it, because that's a ridiculous action, but she should.

They are _smitten_ with each other; the _whole town_ knows it but them.

This is going to be fun.

"Nothing. Just suggest it to him, okay? I'm going to leave now" she says with a sweet smile, going away, and leaving Stiles staring at her.

He doesn't even notice he doesn't care she's with Jackson, because all he can think about is how to tell Isaac about this conversation.

**X**

"So…" Stiles begins once he and Isaac get to the Lacrosse field the next day, "I asked Lydia about her stalkish tendencies yesterday."

"Oh" Isaac says, clearly uncomfortable, "What was it, then?"

"She says we should integrate with Derek's pack. I mean… you should. You know, go for training and stuff. Hang out with the wolves, build up your strength, these kinds of things."

His words are measured, and he looks down the whole time, making Isaac suspect there's something wrong there.

"Oh, really?"

"Yeah," the other boy continues, "She actually… kind of had a point. With the way things are here, with our luck, you can't afford to spend all your time away from your pack. Because you need a pack, and you need training, and only Derek can give you that."

Stiles is still looking at the ground, his Lacrosse stick turning on his hands.

"And you think I should… hang out with the pack more?" he asks, and Stiles shrugs.

"I… You… should? Can? I mean, sure you can, you're you and I can't tell you want to do, but I like our training too, it's just that Lydia kind of made me see that you can't waste all your time with me."

"I'm not _wasting_ my time with you. I like spending time with you, it's different" Isaac says, fast, and Stiles looks up at him, through his lashes, smiling.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah" Isaac confirms it, and Stiles finally raises his head, shrugging again.

"Maybe you should spend some time with them" he continues, and Isaac looks at him speculatively.

"You could come with me. I mean, there's a whole lot of empty space around Derek's, and we could hang out there. Maybe train a little? If Lydia is asking us to come along, then Jackson might even try and help you train. I have a feeling he'd do it, just because it's a pack thing" he finishes, shrugging too, and Stiles looks insecure.

"What if Derek doesn't want me there?"

"Then _I_ won't be there" Isaac answers, and the smile Stiles sends him is worth a thousand fights with his Alpha.

"Okay, then" he says, and Isaac rolls his eyes.

"We'll go tomorrow, after lunch, okay? Now, let's play, Stilinski."

Stiles laughs and they start training.

Isaac really, really hopes this thing with the pack won't ruin his relationship with Stiles.

The next day, Isaac leaves the library at his usual time, and Stiles is already waiting for him. They go for a cheap diner for lunch, eat something completely unhealthy and then get into Stiles jeep, headed for the Hale house.

When they get there, Isaac and Stiles trade a look and get out of the car at the same time, heading for the house.

"Oh, the prodigal son returns!" says Peter as soon as Isaac gets in, followed by Stiles, "And he brought lunch!" he finishes, looking at Stiles.

"You wish" Stiles replies, but he does take a small step closer to Isaac.

Peter laughs shortly, and finally gestures to the stairs.

"Our dear Alpha is upstairs, having a bit of a beauty sleep I think. How about you two help me make lunch?"

"We already ate" Isaac says fast, and when Stiles stares at him, he makes a face.

Peter could be a number of things, but a cook he was not.

Stiles tries to contain a laugh and is only half successful, and Peter leaves them in the burnt down living room, unimpressed and muttering about ridiculous teenagers.

The two teens stare at each other, not quite knowing what to do. Lydia suggested training, but now that he thinks about it, Isaac hasn't been around this place during the day for so long he doesn't even feel as if he lives here.

He sleeps here, sure, but that's pretty much it.

"How… can you guys live here? I mean, okay, I get that the place is a memory and a painful one, but Gods, you need to _live_ here, this isn't healthy" Stiles says, looking around, and the he freezes, because Derek is at the top of the stairs, and he looks _pissed_.

Then again, he always looks pissed, so there's a big chance that he isn't even pissed at Stiles at all, just being his general amazingly cheerful self.

"Oh, hey, there, Derek, buddy. Alpha Derek. Derek the Alpha. Derek the Alpha is actually quite a nice name. You have a totally raging vibe, you could call yourself Alpha Derek and the Pack and become one of those really dark rock bands, like HIM, you know? You could even name one of your songs Werewolf Heart, and all the girls would go crazy, and shout your name in crowded theatres. Do you play any instruments?"

Derek stares at Stiles, and then looks at Isaac, clearly praying for patience, and then seems to decide to pretend nothing ever came out of Stiles' mouth.

He comes down and disappears to the same place Peter went to.

"That was a warm welcome" Stiles mutters, and Isaac looks at him, smiling broadly.

"He didn't threaten to rip your throat out with his teeth, you're golden" Stiles smiles back, and they leave the house, sitting on the stairs out in the porch, waiting.

"You think Jackson will be by?"

Isaac shrugs.

"I have no idea. Maybe? What did Lydia say?"

"Nothing? She doesn't talk to me as much as she states things and expects the rest of humanity to follow her."

Isaac snorts.

"You're crazy about her, though."

Stiles looks at him sideways, and blushes to the roots of his hair.

That's weird.

"Yeah… It kind of… It's gone? I mean, that thing with Jackson, on the day of Lacrosse final game, that was… They are the real thing, I know I've never had a chance with her, but now I'd feel like a jerk if I_ wanted_ to, you know?"

"So… you're over Lydia because you want to be?" Isaac sounds confused, and Stiles shrugs, looking uncomfortable.

"Not really? It's just… I noticed I didn't… think about her all the time. It's… different. I still think she's amazing, but I'd like to be her friend, nothing else."

Isaac hums under his breath, but doesn't say anything.

Just because Stiles is over Lydia doesn't mean he's got a shot.

He's distracted from his thoughts when a shiny Porsche comes along the road, and Lydia and Jackson come out.

Derek is out the next second, and he starts barking orders at him and Jackson – apparently, training is on.

Lydia sits beside Stiles on the porch, with a small pillow under her, which she takes from the car, and a stack of magazines. Peter intervenes a few times during training – running around, trying to catch the other, breathing exercises to keep calm and not wolf out – and Isaac is almost taken out at least five times because he's watching Stiles and Lydia.

It could have been worse, but apparently Jackson has the same problem, and at about five in the afternoon Derek gives up and tells Jackson to go home.

Stiles, who's looking absolutely bored out of his mind comes to say his goodbyes, because it's getting late, and his dad wants him home early.

"Sorry about all this" Isaac says, looking down, and Stiles shrugs.

"It was weird, but nice too. I talked to Lydia, she promised Jackson will bring his Lacrosse stuff tomorrow, so we can practice some" he says, smiling.

He turns to leave, and Isaac almost reaches out to hug him, but then he remembers that he can't.

Stiles looks like he's going for a hug too, but ends up patting his shoulder awkwardly, and almost running to his jeep.

Isaac puts his head in his hands and growls a bit in frustration.

He wants this so badly and he can't have it.

Damn it!

**X**

Teenagers are _stupid_.

Maybe he is even more stupid, because he's actually _hanging around_ teenagers, and Jesus Christ, he did _not_ come back from the dead for this shit.

Derek is actually trying very hard to teach those two useless sack of potatoes how to use their powers better, but all the airheads can think about is their romantic interests down on the porch.

Peter keeps on watching how every time Lydia says something to Stiles that makes him smile Isaac's eyes turn golden.

Jackson snarls every time Stiles calls Lydia attention to something and she seems legitimately interested.

Idiots. Both of them, but maybe Isaac is actually the worst of the two, because he's suffering in silence with his crush, when it's _obvious_ the other boy feels the same way.

When the humans leave, Isaac is left on the front if the house, watching Stiles go away, and Derek looks ready to rip his head off. Peter tells him to get inside that he'll deal with Isaac and the Alpha actually _listens_, that's how frustrated he is.

He's listening to Peter.

"Stiles is, by far, the smarter human boy I've ever met. He's clever and even his babbling can be funny, and I'm actually quite fond of him," he starts, and Isaac turns to look at him with a frown on his face, and Peter smirks, smelling the jealousy in the air, "He's all of those things, but let me tell you something: Stiles is insecure, and he doesn't believe in himself as much as he should, especially where his looks and attractiveness are concerned."

Isaac stares at him suspiciously.

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Because, Isaac, my boy, if you want the little red riding hood you've been hanging out with, you have to _act_. He wants you too, it's sickeningly obvious, but he won't do anything about it. So if you want Stiles, all you have to do is go and get it. And then maybe you'll survive tomorrow's training, because Derek _will_ rip you and Jackson apart if you don't stop with the longing for your loved ones and start focusing on training."

"I don't… Stiles doesn't…" he protests, and Peter snorts again.

"Please, Isaac. Just go and kiss that boy, would you? He's smitten with you."

And then he leaves, because he sure as heel doesn't get paid enough in this shit to become the emotional counselor of weird teenage boys and their crushes.

* * *

**So, what did you think?**

**The next one will probably be up by the weekend!**

**Thank you for reading!**

**REVIEW!**


	4. Determined boys are determined

_(If you're wondering if I want you to) I want you to_

_Determined boys are determined_

Isaac keeps looking at him and Stiles doesn't really know why. He's checked his shirt and his pants at least four times on their way to the Hale house after their lunch – he's not smelling bad, he's doesn't have anything on his face, he's pretty sure his face is still the same, and yet Isaac _won't stop_ looking at him.

What the hell, man?

It's hard enough to have this HUGE crush on him without having his freaking perfect face looking at him as if he's being sneaky – and there are a lot of looks Isaac can pull just _fine_ but sneaky is not one of them – only he's really NOT, and Stiles is freaking out.

What if he's staring because he thinks Stiles is just so weird?

What if now that they are hanging out with his pack every single afternoon for a _week_ he was reevaluating this whole friendship with the useless human thing?

What would he do if Isaac left him too?

"We're here!" he announces loudly and unnecessarily as they get to the house, where Jackson is already in his practice clothes, holding his Lacrosse stick and laughing at something Peter has just said.

It's sure to be something mean, because Peter is never nice – entertaining and sarcastic and smart? Yes.

Nice? No. Just… no.

Isaac looks startled though, as if he hadn't realized they were already at the house, even if he, you know, lives here.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaanyway.

They get out of the car and go to Jackson, who tells them to follow his lead, because he's awesome at Lacrosse and can teach them a thing or two. Stiles wants to point out that Isaac is _just_ as awesome, but he doesn't, because Isaac would have been as much of a benchwarmer as he is if it wasn't for the werewolf stuff, so they follow Jackson's lead.

Until they don't.

**X**

Isaac takes another deep breath and tries to keep his cool, but, man, this is hard.

It's not like he has enough trouble already, what with trying to be sneaky with his Stiles-staring and not quite managing it – he's sure Stiles is thinking there's something wrong with his face by now, and there's nothing wrong with Stiles face at all – but now Jackson keeps _staring_ at Stiles.

Like, _really staring_. And every time Stiles has his back turned to Jackson, the blond looks at his ass and _licks his lips_.

What the hell, man?!

Stiles is not his, but he's so not Jackson's either! _Lydia_ is Jackson's. Or better yet, _Jackson_ is Lydia's, and she's not here today, and Isaac is trying very, very hard not to think up creative ways to rip Jackson heart out right through his chest with his bare hands.

He wouldn't even use his claws.

It's very hard to focus on anything with that damn lizard _staring at Stiles_.

And Stiles, of course, simply doesn't _see_ anything, and it's pissing Isaac off too – come on, how can he _not see_ that Jackson is practically undressing him with his eyes the whole freaking time?

Peter is smiling away on the porch.

At least _someone _is amused.

He and Jackson line up again, trying to set up a line of defense – there's no point in having a goalie just yet, they want to help Stiles pass up the defense, and the one time Stiles suggested he trained as a goalie, Jackson snarled that no one would be goalie but Danny, so okay.

Jackson's shoulder is practically touching his, and he's smirking.

"Ready, Stilinski?" the arrogant blond shouts and Stiles nods. They prepare for the check, and Stiles runs straight at them – he can tackle Isaac down, but not Jackson, who doesn't even move.

He smirks, solid as a rock, as Stiles glares at him and hisses "_No wolf-powers_". Stiles offers a hand to Isaac, who smiles at him and takes it, even though he doesn't need it, but, hey, any excuse to touch Stiles, man.

He's not desperate or anything, it's just… nice.

Fuck everything, he _is_ desperate, and Jackson _is not helping_.

"You know" Jackson starts, once Stiles is going back to the other side of their makeshift field, quiet enough that Stiles can't hear them, "Stilinski sure grew up this past year" he says, smirking the whole time, eyes trained on Stiles' rear, "I mean, look at that ass, man" Stiles turns around and faces them, eyes curious, because Isaac is, now, snarling, "I'm sure that if I got Lydia to ask him, we could have a threesome," Isaac's eyes turn golden and he turns to Jackson, who still won't look at him, staring at Stiles, that _damn smirk_ on his lips, "Hell, we could possibly make something permanent, I'm sure" he finally turns to Isaac and flashes him a mocking smile, "It's not like he's taken, right, Isaac?"

And that's it.

Jackson calls to Stiles to attack them, and the boy comes running – but he never gets to check them. As soon as he's close enough, Isaac grabs him by the waist and pulls him up flush against his body and then…

… and then he kisses him.

He doesn't care if Stiles will hate him, or if he'll laugh at him, or what it's going to happen, but Jackson is driving him _mad_ with jealousy, and Peter is laughing at something, but he doesn't care _at all_.

Because after the shock, Stiles moans into his mouth and actually _kisses him back_.

It has no technique whatsoever – Isaac has never kissed anyone in his life, and as far as he knows, Stiles never quite managed to have a single successful date in his school career, but what they lack in experience they make up for with enthusiasm.

Stiles hands have a tight grip in his hair, and he bites Isaac's lower lip, asking for entrance, which Isaac grants happily. He pulls Stiles a bit closer, he feels him standing on the tip of his toes to reach him, and suddenly he turns them around and actually _lifts_ Stiles up.

The other boy puts his legs around his waist, but pulls away from the kiss, taking in a deep, shuddering breath.

"Whoa" he says breathlessly, hands around Isaac's neck, legs tight around his waist, Isaac's hands… well, his hands are on his ass, but it's for supporting purposes _only_, he swears.

Only _Whoa_ is not good, right?

_Whoa_ doesn't mean stop, but it's not a ringing endorsement either.

And then Stiles' mouth opens and closes about three times, and he finally speaks.

"What the hell, dude?" he says, and Isaac lets go of him in his shock and fear of rejection.

Stiles falls down awkwardly, not having time to actually get his ground when the other boy drops him, and he tumbles a bit, which leads Isaac to get a hold of one of his arms and pull him up a bit – with more force than intended, and Stiles ends up pressed up against his chest again.

"Uhm… hey" Stiles says, staring at him, his face a mask of confusion, and Isaac can't let go, but he doesn't know what to do.

Somewhere at their back, they can listen to Peter actually _laughing his ass off_.

That man has the worst sense of humor _ever_.

"Ah… hi" he ends up saying back with an awkward smile.

And Stiles smiles back at him.

Broad and open and amazing.

Isaac is grinning by then.

"So… was this some sort of wolf magic, or did you actually _want_ to do that? Because I'm down with it. The kissing, I mean. The whole pulling me up thing was a bit sudden, and, dude, there's, like, _Peter_ watching, and I'm so not down to voyeurism yet. But you know, the kissing is… ah… good. Great, actually. Only of you don't want it to be, then it was awful, and we don't ever have to do it again, no matter how many times I'll think about it, only I totally _won't_. Unless you want me to. Kiss you again, I mean, not the thinking thing. Only if you like the thinking thing, then I can do it too" Stiles rambles on and Isaac can only stare at him, amazed.

He's not running away. His heart is beating fast and hard and incredibly excited and _Jesus Christ_, Stiles wants him back!

"Lahey, if you don't shut him up I will, and my method won't be _nearly_ as nice" Jackson says, and Isaac feels like hitting him – he was _baiting_ him.

How obvious was he being that even Jackson picked up on his crush and felt the need to interfere?

"You want to shut me up?" Stiles asks, a teasing grin on his face.

"Not really" Isaac answers, and Stiles smile falters.

The taller boy leans in, though, his mouth so near Stiles ear he could touch it if he wanted to.

Maybe he does.

"I want to kiss you again, though" he whispers, biting Stiles' earlobe, and he can feel the boy shuddering.

"I'm down with that" Stiles answers, his voice low and rough, and then they are kissing again, open mouthed and a bit desperate, and happy and excited, all at once.

"Ew, gross. GET A ROOM!" Jackson shouts, before his footsteps disappear, certainly going into the house.

They can still listen to Peter laughing and Jackson complaining about their grossness and Derek saying he doesn't want to know about his Betas' love life.

As far as first kisses go, it's perfect.

* * *

**I'm sorry it's short, but I wanted to finish here, because I love this scene, and it's exclusively happy, and I don't want to ruin it.**

**And if left to my own devices, I'll continue the chapter and kill someone or something – I don't even mean to, it just ****_happens_****, so, yeah.**

**Short chapter.**

**More probably later on tonight.**

**Tell me what you think of the boys!**

**REVIEW!**


	5. Dumb Alphas are Dumb

_If you're wondering if I want you to (I want you to)_

_Dumb Alphas are Dumb_

It's not as if he had been _planning_ it this way – it just sort of… happened. Well, yeah, okay, that was the lamest excuse of all, but he couldn't exactly help it – at some point along the long hours training, and the bonding stuff, and the talks about rebuilding his place and other things, he sort of started to notice Isaac.

On some level he had always known Isaac was beautiful and loyal and caring – when he wasn't trying to impress everyone with his bad boy persona. He _knew_ Isaac was all that, and he was glad when he had come out and kissed Stiles, because Isaac deserved to be happy.

And let it be said that he hadn't noticed Isaac by then either.

Oooh, no, of course not.

He started noticing Isaac around the same time he noticed _Stiles_.

Or maybe he noticed the way they were together, and _that_ was what really caught his attention.

Of all the people in his pack, none of the others were like them – not one. Sure they cared about each other _now_, but they cared about all of them in their weird, let's-make-everybody-happy way. It was disconcerting. The two of them were disconcerting, and Derek didn't really know how to act around them anymore.

They come to the house practically every day – apart from Isaac sleeping there, of course – and they train as werewolves (Isaac does), and then they train Lacrosse, and this should be _it_ but it isn't.

Because Stiles keeps running interference between Peter and Lydia in a way that is not intrusive and makes her more comfortable around the man. And Isaac keeps pushing Jackson's buttons, but with the actual intention of helping the other werewolf.

Stiles brings up the subject of getting this place fixed up, and Isaac says that'd be nice. Lydia gets interested in it and starts planning for decoration, and Peter and she actually share some tastes and therefore they have a safe topic to bond over.

Things run more smoothly when those two boys are around. Stiles and his vibrant energy, the way things lighten up when he's around, as if he alone can hold up the weight of their fears and turmoil. And Isaac by his side, firm and quiet and strangely sweet in the way he smiles when he thinks no one is looking, in the way he cares about Stiles _first_, but even being a second in Isaac's priorities means they get more attention than most people devote to family and friends.

They _care_.

Them _both_ do it, and it's so foreign a thought for Derek that he's caught by surprise one night in the middle of the Summer when Stiles is cooking them dinner in celebration for the end of the remodeling of their kitchen, and Isaac is helping, and they are alone in the only fixed up place in the whole house, and the rest of the pack is waiting in the living room and… And it fits. It fits that, out of all of them, the two of them are the ones to be in the light. It fits that they are the ones who bring the light _to_ them.

They care.

And Derek, without noticing, imagines, just for a second, that he's _there_ with them. That he could help Stiles and support Isaac, and let himself be taken care of by them, protect them in return.

When he realizes what he's thinking about, he freezes and the night goes by in a blur that he can't quite remember.

Because he won't, for anything in the _world_, screw up something his pack _needs_.

And those two? That's a necessity in his pack now.

He'll just have to find a way to deal with it.

**X**

It's not as easy as he'd like.

Mostly because those boys are always… _there_. Even when they leave, to spend the night at Stiles's, or the rare night Scott remembers he has friends and calls them, or when they just spend the day out, doing fun things that teenagers should do, their scent lingers in the air, the little things they do for the pack show in the house.

It's very hard to run away from people who are a part of what _you_ are.

But, well, he can't have them, can he? First, he's an adult. He's twenty-three years old, those kids aren't yet seventeen. Second, he's their _Alpha_. Should he try anything with them, it would be impossible for them to refuse – at least Isaac. Stiles not so much, but he'd _hurt_ them, then, and that's just not fair.

He doesn't really know what to do anymore, because the more he tries to step away from things, to put some distance between them, the more they seem to try and worm their ways into his heart.

It's not fair.

It's not fair that for the first time he actually _cares_ for someone like this, this warm, happy way, and they are already out of his reach, for being with each other.

He thinks he could be happy with either of them, truly. Stiles is sarcastic, and just a bit cruel, but he's funny and he _cares_. He's loyal and smart and just as cunning as Peter. Isaac is sweet and shy, and yet fiercely protective of those he loves. He never stops trying once he thinks something has to be done, and he's just as loyal as Stiles.

They are kind of perfect together.

And Derek has nothing to offer, truly. What is he for those boys, after all? An older, brooding, gloomy guy who barks orders and makes bad decisions.

He has to stop thinking about them this way. That's all.

Stop thinking about their caring nature, and how much he'd love to be at the receiving end of the secret smiles they share. He's in love with their personalities, and that's easily solved, because he can turn all of it into friendship.

The day he makes this decision is, of course, the day he gets home a bit earlier than planned, and catches Stiles on his knees, Isaac's cock in his mouth, the werewolf's head thrown back, both his hands in Stiles's recently grown hair.

He doesn't know if they notice him or not – what he does know is that, one day, late at night, Peter showed him this website called _Tumblr_, and there was this gif image, with a guy running away and the caption NOPE on it.

That pretty much sums his existence that night.

Just… nope.

**X**

They haven't had sex yet. Not the all-the-way sex, at least.

Not that they don't want to, but it's… well, for now? It's enough. Kind of.

They started just by… making out. A lot. Strangely enough, Stiles is the first to be comfortable enough in taking out his shirt during a make out session, but Isaac doesn't take long to follow his lead. It escalated quickly that day – from kisses to touching, to an exchanged hand job that made Stiles blush all throughout the next day – not by embarrassment, but excitement.

The first time they try a blow job, Isaac wants to do it – he's no good at it. In truth, Stiles kind of fears for his dick a few times during it, and Isaac gives up half way through, afraid of hurting himself and Stiles in the process. He's too nervous, too afraid he'll wolf out and, well, decapitate one of Stiles's heads.

Not good.

Stiles tries it then, slowly at first, licking tentatively, taking Isaac in little bit by little bit, and if the sounds his boyfriend was making were any indication, it's good. He uses more hand than mouth that night, but neither of them is complaining.

The thing is, though, that being a teenager, once the gates for sexual exploring are open, there is no turning back – any place is a place, any time is time.

The night they are alone at the Hale House – Peter out of town to solve something to do with the Alpha Pack, Jackson and Lydia on a date, Derek out of town for a meeting with a nearby pack – Isaac keeps kissing Stiles filthily, his hands grasping Stiles's hair tightly, gently pushing his head down every few seconds.

It says a lot about their sex lives right now that Stiles _grew out his hair_ so his boyfriend will have something to pull on as Stiles gives him head. They are so into it that even Isaac misses the sound of his Alpha approaching. He's almost there, he can almost feel it already, the heady sensation of filling Stiles mouth up, marking him with his scent from inside out, and then taking him up, pulling him close, making him come.

It's dizzying and intoxicating.

They do hear it, though, when Derek gets in, sees them, and immediately goes out again.

But Isaac is too far gone to stop, Stiles is too intoxicated with his own power to make Isaac that desperate to stop either.

It's only minutes later, when they are both breathing hard that the embarrassment settles in.

That, and the fact that Isaac can _swear_ that even though Derek was embarrassed for having caught them, the most prominent scent on him was arousal.

He has _no idea_ what to make of that.

**X**

He tells Stiles about it the very next day.

It's kind of an awkward conversation, because how does one come up to his boyfriend of barely two months, and goes 'by the way, my Alpha smelled like he wanted to take us both last night'?

Stiles is quiet at first, a startled sort of quiet, actually, and Isaac waits.

"Are you _sure_?"

"Yeah. It's… it's actually a pretty easy scent to catch. Very hard to miss."

They look at each other again, and then Stiles shrugs.

"I had no idea he was even into guys, but, come one, you're hot" he says, smirking at Isaac, "I'm sure we're kinda… hot together. There's nothing to it, right?"

"Right" Isaac answers.

There's nothing to it – it's not as if Derek _likes_ them or anything. Not as if he hadn't thought about him that way a time or two, but Derek is too closed off, too powerful to bother with two teens that way.

It's just… bad timing. They'll be more careful from now on.

* * *

**Aaaaaaaaaand I'm back! **

**Hope you guys enjoyed it! I'll try to put something more up later today, but first, must watch Suits.**

**REVIEW!**


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